


Indelible Marks

by sharkie335



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-17
Updated: 2011-08-15
Packaged: 2017-10-11 22:33:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/117839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharkie335/pseuds/sharkie335
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I just wish we could do something to mark this.  You know, if we were straight we could get married and no one would blink an eye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> girly_curl_3 asked me to write John and Rodney getting tattooed or branded. Here you go!

John and Rodney slumped together, panting. "Jesus, that was incredible," John said, running a hand over Rodney's stomach, slick with lube and come.

Rodney couldn't help the small gloating smile, and when John noticed it, he said, "What? Positive reinforcement is very important!" John laughed, and the two of them squirmed around trying to get comfortable.

They ended with John lying with his head on Rodney's shoulder, which was by unspoken agreement, the most comfortable position for the two of them. John walked his fingers over Rodney's stomach, and Rodney smiled at the light tickling sensation. Flattening John's hand down with his own, he said, "What is it? Normally you're asleep in minutes."

"You know I've been married?" John said, his face heating up against Rodney's shoulder.

"Yeah, I was aware," Rodney said. "Remember, I've read your records. What does that have to do with us, here? I thought you'd been divorced for years."

"Um, well," John started, and Rodney sat up.

"What? You telling me that you aren't divorced?"

"No!" John exclaimed hotly. "I've never been unfaithful to a lover, not even her, so what makes you think I'd do something so low?"

"Oh, no reason, except that you're bringing up your ex-wife while you're in bed with me!"

Now John was sitting up. "You moron. I was _trying_ to tell you something!"

"Like what?" Rodney couldn't help the belligerent sound of his voice. He was upset, with reason, dammit.

"I was trying to tell you that I love you more than I ever loved her, but now I'm not so sure." Instantly, John's face paled, as if he heard his own words, and Rodney was afraid that John was going to be sick.

"Oh," he said.

"Yeah." John didn't say anything else.

He thought about it for a moment, realizing that the feeling he'd been chalking up to the beginning of an ulcer might have a more emotional cause. Loving John would certainly explain the nervous flutter in his stomach, and the way that he always looked to find John's eyes first when they met up. "I - I love you too," he said, realizing that he sounded surprised, but not able to help himself.

Just like that, the color returned to John's face, and he wrapped Rodney in a hard hug. "I've said it once. Don't make me say it again, okay?"

"Sounds fair to me."

~*~

Six months later, and Rodney couldn't believe that they had lasted this long. Even more incredibly, no one had caught on besides Teyla and Ronon . Oh, they'd told Keller, the same way that they'd told Carson, but that was simply so that they wouldn't have to worry about being sent out of the room when one of them was injured. She'd exhibited the same surprised non-surprise that Elizabeth had shown them once upon a time.

They didn't say it often, though occasionally it would slip out in the middle of sex, though on occasion Rodney thought about saying it as they slipped off to sleep. He wished that they could make some sort of declaration, but even if it was allowed, John didn't strike him as someone who'd be comfortable with any sort of public admission of feelings.

So tonight was a complete surprise, when after sex John had stayed awake, touching Rodney gently. "John? Is something wrong?"

"I think - " John began, then cut himself off. "Never mind."

Rodney turned so he could meet John's eyes. "No. Remember? You're not allowed to do this."

John sighed. "I just wish we could do something to mark this. You know, if we were straight we could get married and no one would blink an eye."

"I know," Rodney said, a little startled at how similar John's feelings were to his. "There are other things we could do, though." Rodney ran through mental options - matching rings, too obvious; some other jewelry, might get caught; private ceremony with Teyla, had some merit...

"We could... get tattoos, maybe?" John suggested diffidently.

Rodney started to object - didn't John know how dangerous tattooing was? But then he stopped to actually _think_ about it. It would be private, because they could get them somewhere that wouldn't show. It would be permanent. And they could pick something that had some sort of meaning to the two of them, so it wouldn't have to be names. A tattoo... was doable, surprisingly.

"You've been thinking about this," he said, putting off agreeing for a moment.

"Yeah," John said, shyly. "I just... I want to know that you're _mine_ and I'm _yours_. Don't want either of us to doubt it."

"Okay," Rodney said simply.

"Okay?" John sounded surprised. And happy. "Okay. You just need to pick what we should get done, and then - "

"Wait a minute. Why do _I_ have to pick? Shouldn't it be both of us?"

" _I_ brought it up," John said. "I did the hard part. You pick it, and the next time we go to earth, I know the perfect place in Colorado to get it done."

Rodney wasn't sure how, but John got him to agree eventually. The blowjob might have helped with that.

~*~

Rodney took a deep breath. He could do this. He could. He glanced at John, who nodded and smiled, knowing exactly what was going through Rodney's head, the _bastard_. But they were leaving for earth in two days, and John had already made the arrangements with the tattooist. He still needed to figure out what to get done, though, and the best source of that were the anthropologists. He ducked into the soft sciences lab.

Thankfully, the last _Daedalus_ rotation had brought a new one, who Rodney hadn't had a chance to alienate yet. "Doctor Trejo?" he said, trying to appear nice. It was a stretch.

"Yes, Doctor McKay?" she answered pleasantly enough, and he thought that maybe this wouldn't be all that painful after all.

"Do you have a few minutes to discuss something with me?"

She glanced around the room, but the other anthropologists were carefully not looking at him, not wanting to attract his attention, he supposed. "Uh, sure."

"Bring your computer."

The two of them walked out. Rodney was nervous enough about asking her _anything_ that he had to wipe the palms of his hands on his pants. When they reached his tiny little cubicle of an office, he waved her in, then sat in his chair. "So, I need help."

"I figured as much," she murmured softly. "Who did you offend this time?"

"What? No!" he exclaimed. "I didn't offend anyone this time. And why do all of you people assume that I always offend everyone I come in contact with?"

"Well, it might have something to do with calling us 'you people,'" she said hotly, standing up. "If you don't need me for something work related, then I assume I can go?"

"No, wait," he said, holding out a hand. "Look, I really do need help. I'm sorry I offended you. Please?"

She hesitated, then slowly sat back down. "What is it?"

"I need a symbol."

She waited for a moment, then said, "For what, Doctor McKay? There are _thousands_ of symbols just in Ancient alone."

"I don't know that I want an Ancient symbol, though that might be best." He looked out the window, trying to make sure that there wasn't anyone out in the hallway evesdropping. "I need something that means forever, or something like that."

"Oh!" Her eyes grew soft. "For someone special?"

"Um, something like that. Now, please, if you could?"

All business again, she opened up her computer and began to type. "There are several symbols in different cultures that mean forever. But, well, I'll show you."

She handed over the machine, and Rodney looked at the mass of symbols, ranging from some that were clearly Ancient to others that he couldn't begin to identify. Scrolling down, he started to think that this was hopeless, until he found it. The perfect symbol. "This one," he said, handing the machine back. "Can you print that out for me?"

Glancing at it, she gave him a sunny grin. "Yes, that's one of my favorites. It's called a Tibetan Eternity Knot, or sometimes a love knot. That's a good one. I'll print it out and put it in your box for you?"

"That would be fine," he said, hiding his face in his hands. John was never going to let him live this down.

~*~

Rodney came to a halt outside the tattoo parlor. "Here? You want me to go _here_?" The place was little more than a shack, worn down and filthy.

"Please, Rodney, just trust me, okay?" John tugged on his arm, and Rodney resisted a moment more before giving in.

"If I get hepatitis, I'm killing you," he muttered as they went through the door together. Rodney looked around in shock. It was like a completely different place, brightly lit, with clean white walls and counters. The young lady sitting at the counter looked up and smiled. "You must be John and Rodney," she said.

Rodney was practically hypnotized by the three... four... _five_ piercings on her face. He glanced at John out of the corner of his eye, then did his best to look nonchalant. She just grinned, as if she was used to that sort of reaction. Then again, she probably was. "Scott and Steve will be right with you. We got your design by email this morning, and they've already drawn up the stencils."

"Good," John said. "Do we pay first, or what?"

"Nah, you can pay afterwards. But we do need you to complete some paperwork first." She handed each of them a stack of papers, which John started signing without reading. Rodney wasn't as cavalier, reading each page carefully, but eventually all of his were signed as well.

Just in time, too, because two heavily tattooed men came out from the back. One glance told Rodney that the work covering their arms and necks was breathtaking, and he smiled a little, pointing at it. "Did you do each other?" he asked, only realizing afterwards what it could be construed to mean.

The shorter man laughed and said, "Every night." The taller of the two elbowed him in the side and said, "I'm Scott. Ignore the comedian here. Is everything in order?"

The girl behind the counter said, "Sure is."

"Let's get started then," he said, leading John and Rodney to the back. There were two cots next to each other, and Steve said, "Your email said you wanted them done together?"

John nodded. "I'm getting mine on my right hip. He's getting his on his left."

"Okay. You'll need to take off your pants, but you can leave your shorts on." Rodney had to fight to keep from blushing as he slid his pants off, following John's lead in folding them and putting them on top of his shoes. Lying down on the cot so that he could see John, he was relieved to see that they were close enough to touch each other. Not caring that it made him kind of girly, he reached across the empty space and took John's hand in his own. John just squeezed and held tight.

~*~

"Remember, you can shower in about eight hours, and then nothing but white hand lotion on it until it heals," Steve said, handing them each a sheet of paper that Rodney promptly dropped. Giggling, he crouched down to try and pick it up, but it took a few tries. He felt drunk, uncoordinated, and the only reason that he managed to stand back up was because John looped a hand under his arm and pulled. "Steve?" John asked, sounding concerned.

"It's the endorphin release," Steve said. "Totally normal. Let me guess - you're a runner?"

"Um, yeah," John said, sounding confused.

"Runners already have a higher tolerance for endorphins, so you don't get the same effect. Don't let him drive for a few hours, and he'll be fine."

"Yeah, John, I'll be fine," Rodney said, still giggling and unable to stop. John wrapped an arm around his shoulder and guided him out of the room, as Rodney turned around to wave. "Thanks again!"

By the time they got back to the hotel, Rodney was feeling no pain. Which was good, because before, he felt like a whole nest of bees had been stinging his hip. This was definitely an improvement. They got to the room, and John practically dropped Rodney on the bed.

It took concentration Rodney didn't have to get his shoes off. Finally, he managed, and then he laid down, curling on the side that hadn't just had a needle shoved into it several thousand times. "I'm tired," he said, surprised to find that it was true.

John sat down next to him and ran a hand through his hair. "Take a nap, then. I'll be here when you wake up."

Rodney closed his eyes, and let sleep take him.

When he opened his eyes again, the room was dark other than the TV playing softly. John was lying on the bed on the other side of him, and was sleeping peacefully. Moving carefully, because his hip had stiffened up, he stood. A glance at the clock showed that he'd been asleep for at least nine hours, and he swore silently. Then again, John was sleeping too, so maybe they both just needed the sleep.

Going into the bathroom, he stripped carefully out of his clothes, and peeled away the clingwrap covering the tattoo. It was still shiny from the antibiotic stuff that Steve had smeared all over it, but the lines were sharp and black, and he couldn't help tracing the knot by eye, trying to find a beginning point for it.

A sound at the door made him jump and he turned around to face John. Cocking his hip deliberately, he said, "Well?"

John's eyes were still hazy with sleep, but he grinned. "Let's get that nasty cream off, and I'll show you what I think of it."

"Only if you're going to shower with me," Rodney said, but John shook his head no.

"If I get in the shower with you, I'm not going to keep my hands to myself," he said. "And I want us to be comfortable, because I'm going to make you too weak in the knees to stand up."

With that, he disappeared back into the bedroom, leaving Rodney already weak in the knees and wondering if it was safe for him to get in the shower. After a few deep breaths, he managed, and then he took the fastest shower of his life. He was already out of the tub by the time the faucet stopped dripping, and drying off carefully.

He passed John, who was naked as well, who went into the bathroom and closed the door. He sat down on the edge of the bed, fingers tracing the slightly raised area of the tattoo. He heard the water start, and he leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling and contemplating exactly what all this meant to him. It wasn't like he could really talk about it with John.

When the water cut off, he scooted back so he was in the middle of the bed and laid down, waiting for John. He didn't have to wait long, because John was still dripping as he made his way out of the bathroom, prowling over to the bed and then up on it, crawling on all fours till he was perched above Rodney.

Rodney couldn't help it. He arched up, lacing his fingers into John's hair and tugging him down into a kiss. It started soft and sweet, but didn't stay that way long. It became carnal and heated, each taste only rousing Rodney further, till he was moaning into John's mouth and trying to pull him further down.

When John broke loose of the kiss, he groaned and tried to pull him back down, but John shook loose of his hand and then started to kiss his way down Rodney's body. He was mildly surprised when John skipped over his nipples, but it became clear that he had a goal in mind, shifting until he could get his mouth on the new tattoo on Rodney's hip. He kissed it gently, mouth soft, and then licked over the irritated skin. He whispered into Rodney's skin, a whisper that Rodney didn't think he was supposed to hear. But Rodney could make an educated guess, based on the way his lips moved. "You're beautiful too," he said out loud.

John looked up at him with wide green eyes, then ducked his head, hiding them from Rodney's view. He nipped the skin right next to the tattoo, making Rodney jump, and then moved over so that he could take Rodney's hard cock into his mouth.

Warm, soft, wet, oh, god, was all that Rodney could think as John slowly took him in, sucking him gently. He let one of his hands rest on John's head, the other on his shoulder, touching as much of him as he could reach as John moved up and down his cock.

It was good, it was better than good, but it wasn't going to be enough to make him come, and he knew it. "Please, John," he whimpered, his hips moving restlessly.

Instead of sucking harder, John backed off entirely, releasing his cock with a wet pop. "Turn over," he whispered, as if he didn't want to break the delicate silence that had settled over them.

Rodney obeyed with alacrity, puling his knees under him and resting his hot face on the cool bedspread. He felt warm hands on his ass, spreading his cheeks wide, and then a wet, broad pressure against his hole - oh, god, it was John's tongue. John licked and sucked and even bit at Rodney's entrance before he started to press inside, making Rodney moan at the agile invader.

For long moments, John tongue fucked him, until Rodney was boneless and dazed, begging brokenly for more. Only then did John sit up long enough to pick up the lube from the nightstand, and slid one of his long, perfect fingers into him.

Rodney moaned, pushing back into the touch. One finger became two, stretching him open, and all Rodney could think was how badly he wanted John's cock instead of his fingers. He was already marked. He wanted to be remade.

"Shh, I got you," John whispered against his back, and only then did Rodney realize that he was speaking out loud. The fingers disappeared, and he whimpered. Then the heat of John's cock replaced them, pressing in slow and steady, making Rodney moan. "God, yes."

"You feel so good," John said, and then he deliberately wrapped one hand around Rodney's hip, right where the new tattoo was, and started to move.

Each stroke took Rodney higher, and the touch on the sensitive skin of his hip made him roll into each stroke. Blindly, he reached back until he could grab John's hip, and he could _feel_ the tattoo, the raised lines, the heat. John hissed, his hips speeding up and slamming into Rodney. "Yeah," John said. "Gotta feel you. Wanna feel you come."

"Just a little more," Rodney said breathlessly. "Just a little more and you will." As if it was a challenge, John started to move even harder, slamming right into Rodney's prostate, and his hand squeezed harder on his hip, and that was it. Rodney was coming without being touched, falling, flying.

He could vaguely feel John still moving, and then he froze. Rodney could feel the warmth that meant that John had come, and he groaned at the sensation. Carefully, John pulled out, and rolled them both so that he was lying spooned up against Rodney's back. "Thank you."

Rodney heard everything that John meant by that thank you - Thank you for doing this. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for being mine and letting me be yours. But all he said was "You're welcome."


	2. I’m Forever Yours

